Civilians killed by all sides – Ethiopia watchdog
Ethiopian government forces and various armed groups killed hundreds of civilians over the last year as the country continues to grapple with widespread insecurity, a report by the state rights watchdog says
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission’s annual report implicates government soldiers, fighters from the embattled region of Tigray and armed groups from the country’s two largest regions – Oromia and Amhara.
It comes as pressure is growing on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration following fresh attacks against ethnic minorities.
The rights watchdog says that as the violence has continued to rage across several regions in the past 12 months, so too have rights violations.
Inhumane treatment of captured fighters, torture against suspects and forced disappearances have been rampant, according to the report.
The communications blackout in Tigray continues to leave millions without access to information.
Meanwhile the number of journalists detained over the last year has reached 54, some still in police custody. Fifteen of them have been detained by Tigrayan fighters.
The report, by the government’s own rights body, is yet another indication that Ethiopia, once seen as a beacon of stability in Horn of Africa region, is now mired in near-constant security crises.
source: bbc
